One Of The Tiniest!

  After sweeping for the umpteenth time this afternoon, I went out to empty the dustpan off of the back porch.  We are doing a few more repairs on the Little Bayou House so sawdust invariably finds its way indoors.  My kitchen floor stays littered with the stuff!  I sweep and then dump it off the back porch under the pear tree.  While whapping the pan against the porch rail, I noticed a dragonfly balanced precariously on a tiny twig of the tree.  A nice breeze was coming from the north so the dragonfly was doing its best to hang onto the twig.  While there is nothing unusual about dragonflies flitting about the place, this one was different.  I have never seen one quite like it. Here lately, our dragonflies have taken on a whole new look.  I am not sure if the rainy summer has drawn in more to the little Frog Pond or, if perhaps, I am just being more observant as of late.

  The first thing to catch the eye was the color of the critter and the shininess of its body.  The dragonfly looked almost gilded!  The shiny gold glimmered brilliantly in the bright sunshine.  It was breathtaking, to say the least. It was then that I noticed the other difference.  The critter was the smallest dragonfly that I have ever seen.  The body could not have been much more than an inch in length and the wingspread was only maybe two inches at its widest point.  

  The tiny critter would ride the bouncing twig until it lost its grip.  It would then fly in a circle, alight on the same twig and continue its bouncy ride.  I watched for a bit before heading back to chores.  Late this evening, the golden dragonfly was still on the same twig.  The winds have died down so at least the critter will have a peaceful night.  If this one is migrating, I probably will not see it again but, come first light, I will peek out on the porch to check on my friend.  Critter life is so amazingly beautiful.